Electrical connecter



Feb. 20, 1934. H, 5 WHITE 1,948,249

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed April 22, 1953 \l/ 7 24 I yB- While ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES v ELECTRICAL CONN ECTER Harry B. White, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 22, 1933. Serial No. 667,397

Claims.

This invention relates to electrical connecting devices and more particularly to terminal fittings for attachment to insulated conductor cables and having projecting contacts for ready elec- 5 trical connection of the wires of the cable to suitable contacts in a fixed receptacle, such fittings being sometimes referred to as attachment plugs.

Such fittings are often subjected in use to severe stresses and impacts when they are not engaged with the outlet receptacle. They are frequently dropped upon floors, or the careless handling of the cable to which they are attached will cause them to strike rigid objects, and at times they are subjected to heavy compression loads. Not infrequently the user will pull the cable when the fitting is caught and held from movement, so that it is highly desirable that the fitting be securely anchored to the cable and that, such anchoring be independent of the electrical contact securing means so that such strains can not impair the electrical connection.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a fitting of this type which is durable and which can be economically manufactured. A further object is to provide such a fitting which is readily assembled upon or removed from the cable, and will be securely anchored to the cable. Still further objects are to provide a fitting for this purpose which will efiectively resist compression strains and impacts, in which the electrical contacts are sealed, and which will withstand the heating of the contact blades which sometimes results from the arcing caused by use with an outlet receptacle having broken or damaged contacts.

Other objects of the invention and the novel features of construction will be apparent from the following specification, having reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

' Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a fitting embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in front elevation, 5 similar to Fig. 1, but-showing parts broken away;

Figs. 4, 6 and 8 are enlarged views in longitudinal section, taken on lines 4-4, 6-6 and 88, respectively, of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 7 are enlarged views in transverse 30 section taken, respectively, on line 5-5 of Fig.

6 and line 77 of Fig. 8; and

' Fig. 9 is an enlarged view in perspective of one of the parts shown in Figs. 4 to 8.

As shown, the fitting comprises a tubular cover is 11 of soft rubber or similar material, having a cable receiving opening 12 therein which is widened at one end to form a recess 13 to receive the contact-supporting member 14. The contact supporting member 14 is preferably stamped from a sheet of bakelite, or similar insulating 5o material, and provided with slots 15 which receive and closely fit the contact blades 16, such contact blades being of usual formatiorrand having their rear ends bent over at 17 and receiving rivets 18, by which they are secured to-the Q5 disc 14, and screws 19 by which the current carrying wires 20 are secured tothe contacts, the shape of such bent over portions 17 being best shown in Fig. 7.

The round cable 21, in which the current-car- 7o rying wires 20 are embedded, fits snugly within the opening 12 in the cover 11, the walls of thecover being flared outwardly at its rear end, as shown at 22, to form a widened mouth 23 which has a curved inner surface, whereby in case of 75 angular pull upon the cable it will be reinforced by the cover against bending and any possibility of .sharp bends therein will be avoided. At its forward end, the cover 11 is formed with a circumferential channel 24, to receive and closely 8o engage the edge of the disc 14.

A cup-shaped reinforcement member 25 of metal, or other rigid material, is fixed in place in the cover 11, preferablymy being moulded in place therein, the main cylindrical portion thereof constituting a lining of an enlarged portion of the cable-receiving opening 12, and having an inwardly directed flange 26 at its rear end which acts as an abutment about an opening 27 through which the cable passes. At its forward end the member 25 has an outwardly directed flange 28 embedded in the cover 11 and widened at diametrically opposite points, as shown best in Figs.

5 and 6, to receive screws 29 which are countersunk in the disc 14 and extend through spacer bushings 30, of suitable material, into threaded engagement with the flange 28.

A cord gripping member 31, which as shown is a short tube of soft rubber, surrounds the cable 21 and fits within the cup-shaped liner or reinforcement member 25, and its forward end is engaged by a tubular compression member 32 which is in turn engaged at its forward end with the rear face of the disc 14, suitable notches 33 being provided in the member 32, as best shown 10!! in Fig. 9, to receive the wires 20 which extend outwardly therethrough and are bared at their ends and secured to the contacts 16 by screws 19. It is preferable that a thin disc 34 of fiber, or similar material, having a notch 35 to faclllllC tate removal, be provided to cover the front face of the disc 14, such disc 34 being held in place by reason of its frictional engagement with the contacts 16 and with the inner wall of the channel 24.

In assembling the parts of the fitting, the cable is passed in turn through the cover 11, in which the liner is embedded, through the gripping member 31 and the compression member 32, and. the wires 20 are secured by the contact screws 19 to the contact blades. The cable is then pulled rearwardly into place, the wires 20 being located in the notches 33. The screws 29 are then tightened to force the disc 14 down into its channel, thus forcing the' member 32 rearwardlytoward the abutment flange 26 to compress the gripping member 31 axially and distort it into gripping engagement with the cable 21, it being evident that some slack will be thus effectedin the free ends of the wires 21. The disc 14 will be thus engaged with the rear wall of the channel 24 and, since the gripping member 31 is in close engagement with the cable 21, it will be apparent that the recess 13 and the electrical connections therein will be completely sealed from the entry of air or dirt.

It will be apparent that a fitting constructed as described will not be apt to be injured by'the impacts incident to use and that, by reason of the reinforcing liner and the close fitting of the parts in the recess of the cover, it will withstand any load to which it is likely to be subjected. It will also be evident that the fitting will be securely anchored to the cable so as to relieve the conducting wires of strain and avoid all possibility of accidental loosening of the electrical contact screws. While a single embodiment of the invention has been shown and described it will be understood that various changes in details of structure may be made in carrying into practice the invention, which is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A terminal contact fitting for an insulated conductor cable, comprising a tubular body having an enlarged recess at its forward end, a cup of rigid material moulded in said body and having a cable-receiving opening in its bottom, a dis within and closing said recess, a'contact element carried by said disc, and having means for electrically connecting the conductor of the cable thereto, cable gripping means within said cup, a compression member between said disc and said gripping means, and means for forcing said disc rearwardly toward said cup to actuate said gripping means into engagement with the cable.

2. A terminal contact fitting for an insulated cable, comprising atubular body of resilient material, the opening therein being enlarged at its forward end to form a recess, a disc within said recess, a cup of rigid material within said body, a contact element carried by said disc and having means for electrically connecting the conductor of the cable thereto, a ring of distortable material within said cup adapted to surround and grip the cable upon being compressed endwise, a. rigid tubular compression member interposed between saidrlisc and said ring, and means for forcing said disc and said cup toward each other.

3. A terminal contact fitting for an insulated cable, comprising a tubular body of insulating material, the opening therein being enlarged at its forward end'to form a recess, a tube of rigid material anchored in said body and lining the opening therein, said tube having an inwardly extending flange adjacent its rear end, a rigid member of insulating material positioned in said recess, a contact element carried by said member, a ring of distortable material within said tube, a

tubular compression member interposed between said contact carrying member and said ring, and means for forcing said contact carrying member toward said flange. n

4. A terminal contact fitting for an insulated cable, comprising a tubular body of resilient insulating material, the opening therein being enlarged at its forward end to form a recess, a disc of insulating material fitting in and closing said v recess, a tubular member permanently secured 108 within said body and lining a portion of the opening therein, said member having an inwardly projecting abutment thereon, a contact member passing through said disc and having means positioned rearwardly of said disc for securing a wire of the no cable in electrical contact therewith, means within said tubular member receiving the cable and adapted upon endwise compression to grip the cable, a tubular compression member interposed between said disc and said gripping means, and 116 means for forcing said disc toward said abutment.

5. A terminal contact fitting for an insulated cable, comprising a body having an opening therein enlarged at its forward end to form a recess, a tubular member lining a portion of said 120 recess and having an inwardly extending abutment thereon, .a member of insulating material within said recess, a contact element supported by said insulating member, means within said tubular member distortable into gripping engagement with the cable by endwise pressure, a tubular compression member between and engaging said distortable means and said contact supporting member, said compression member having an opening to receive a wire of the cable, and means for forcing said contact supporting member toward said abutment to distort said means'into gripping engagement with the cable.

- HARRY B. WHITE. 

